A-Rod reached out, offered Damon advice  —  Third baseman no stranger to dramatic of free agency  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Perhaps more than anyone, Alex Rodriguez wanted Johnny Damon back in the Bronx.  —  Rodriguez, speaking publicly Thursday for the first time this spring …

Top man is on top of the world  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. - This is their ninth season running the Red Sox.  They have won two world championships, rebuilt Fenway Park, triggered a 550-game sellout streak, and made “Red Sox” a global brand.  —  But just as the giant tower in the Back Bay will always be the …

Crawford, Rays table contract talks until end of season  —  Unable to reach a deal now, the Rays and Carl Crawford have decided to table any further negotiations on a new contract until after the season.  —  “We had an opportunity to exchange ideas with the club about a contract extension …

Contract Talks  —  Tampa, FL (WFAN) — So did you really expect Derek Jeter to say anything inflammatory?  Jeter rarely shares any insight on the next day's game.  What do you think he's going to do when he's asked questions about eight months from now?  —  We all know that Derek Jeter will get his money.

The Next Step  —  Let me start theoretical.  I wonder why prospect lists run in order of career potential.  In my view, prospects are valuable because they provide Major League Baseball's best bargain.  Find a player ready to contribute from Year One to Year Seven, and the return on investment is ridiculous.

New York Mets invite Dwight Gooden to be spring training advisor  —  The Mets are paging Doctor K.  —  Dwight Gooden, whose demons branded him as a club pariah, Wednesday told the Daily News that the Amazin's had invited him to be a spring training adviser.

Texas Rangers void contract of infielder Khalil Greene  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Texas Rangers voided the contract of utility infielder Khalil Greene on Thursday.  —  Greene wasn't able to report to spring training because of a “recurrence of issues he's dealt with in the past,” …

Gebhard OK after heart attack  —  D-backs' special asst. to GM has successful surgery  —  TUCSON, Ariz. — Former Major League general manager Bob Gebhard suffered a mild heart attack on Wednesday and underwent successful surgery on Thursday at Northwest Medical Center.

Nats sign Mexican League hurler Martin  —  Future setup man likely to open 2010 season in Minors  —  VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals continue to prepare for the future, purchasing the contract of right-hander Rafael Martin from Saraperos de Saltillo of the Mexican League, according to a baseball source.

Francona breaks down the workout  —  Terry Francona finished his daily press briefing a little while ago.  He was in a bit of a hurry because he had a meeting with Bob Watson of Major League Baseball.  —  But we did cull a little information out of the manager:

Anthopoulos eyes international talent  —  Jays' general manager expands on his long-term vision  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. — Alex Anthopoulos stepped out of the batting tunnel at the Bobby Mattick Training Center on Thursday morning, wearing a sweater under a light jacket with his hands firmly in his pockets.

These Questions 3: James S. Hirsch  —  With James S. Hirsch's new biography of Willie Mays just hitting the bestseller list this week, Hirsch was kind enough to answer a few questions about Mays and the book:  —  Rob: Willie Mays, probably more than any other player …

Cleveland Indians sign Russell Branyan; he'll start at first base (with video) … GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Indians have a new first baseman.  He's part of their past and part of their present.  Introducing Russell Branyan.  —  Branyan's one-year, $2 million deal became official Wednesday after he passed a physical Tuesday.